Wishing People Dead

Today, one of my "friends" on Facebook posted this:

"DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA. AMEN. I saw this on a friends post and couldnt help but repost it."


First off, you know it's gonna be a doozy because it's ALL IN CAPS. Second, they clearly have to get out and see more movies, I mean Patrick Swayze and Farrah Fawcett are their favorite actors? Wow.

Did you Know? Road House is required by law to be shown on Saturday afternoons on at least one channel in at least 2 states?  

What is about Facebook and the internet in general that makes rude, threatening, even violent comments acceptable? By the time I saw the post, two people already "liked it".  I commented, "I don't think it's cool to wish anyone dead. sorry!"  As much as I didn't like our past presidents, I never wished them to die because I disagreed with their policies. Look, I'm not a humorless guy...but I do have boundaries.  I know, I know, I am just a crazy "liberal" and "social progressive" out to try to control what people think....but I digress...


Earlier this year, another "friend" of mine became a "fan" of "Requiring People on Welfare to Take Drug Tests". I actually found the idea offensive and actually stupid and I couldn't stay silent (if you know me, you'll know I take ill-advised "stands" all the time). I paraphrase my quote, but I believe I stated, "I know where this is coming from, but this is mean-spirited and a bad idea". I smiled and congratulated myself on my self restraint.  Within minutes, I was lambasted by another "friend" who dragged in an off topic policy subject to point out I was just a crazy "liberal" (I'm leaving out all the dirty details for your own sanity).

I further tried to make a bad situation worse by you know, using common sense...I posted that while everyone is against abuse, a blanket policy would be a waste of tax payer money and it assumed that everyone poor was using drugs. I didn't name call or make accusations, I just tried to stick to the inane policy that had been suggested.

A few minutes later another person (not a "friend") suggested they ought to give reading and writing tests to receive welfare! They were actually serious. (While we're at it, why don't we bring back the poll tax and bring back those colonial laws that restricted the right to vote for only property-owning males).

The fascinating thing about it all is that Facebook has led to the destruction of many friendships due to political arguments.  I've know a few people who have "de-friended" because of political posts.  Debates that would have never happened in "polite company". Instead, the instantaneous impulse and dramatic, over-the-top rhetoric allows one to learn more than you like about your "friends".

It doesn't help when "main stream" media type folks make comparisons between Hitler and Obama. I know peace activists might have done that with W - but no one took it seriously and it was never made by a talk show host that has millions of mind-numbing fans.

Did you know? Glenn Beck is a Mormon.  I just found that out the other day. It's true.

Anyway the point is - is that friends should repress any political discussion and pretend that differences don't exist.  

Well, that's not actually my point...my point is, is that people should put some thought into what they are writing before they post. Maybe they should think through what their post implies or what their "liking" something really means. Maybe we should all support basic human decency....like not wishing people dead.  I know, I'm a dreamer.

I haven't de-friended anyone, at least not yet......

Postscript Update: My comment was deleted.